Hydrocarbon-vapor lamp



R. R. CROSBY.

Vapor Burner.

Patented Feb. 9, i858.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIC l;

ROBERT R. CROSBY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HYDRocARBoN-vnron LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,287, dated February 9, 1858.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT R. CROSBY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Hydrocarbon-Vapor Lamp; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l, denotes a side elevation; and F ig. 2, a central vertical and longitudinal section of it. Fig. 3, a top view of the flame guard K, of the auxiliary burner. Fig. 4 a side of the said guard.

In such drawings, A represents the main reservoir of the lamp such being supported in the usual manner by a stand or foot B. Through the screw cap O, of the said reservoir and from the interior part of the reservoir, two wick tubes D, D, extend upward and open or terminate in and give support to a dome shaped vaporizer or vessel E, bearing on its top a gas burner F. The space between the two wick tubes D, D, the cap O, and the vessel E, is a chamber in which an auxiliary wick tube Gr, is placed, the said tube being made to extend upward from the screw cap O, and downward into an auxiliary reservoir H, arranged between the wick tubes and within the main reservoir A, and so as to be entirely separate from the said main reservoir. The objectof this auxiliary reservoir is to enable the wick of the auxiliary wick tube to be supplied with alcohol or any common oil, while a fluid much richer in carbon and easily vaporized may be used within the main reservoir. Hydrocarbon vapor lamps, as heretofore constructed have had their auxiliary wick tube so connected with the main reservoir that the fluid of the latter was taken up by the wick. The fluid generally used being very rich in carbon caused the flame of the wick to smoke and deface the lamp while vaporizing the liquid taken up by the main wick or wicks. lVith my improved lamp the auxiliary wick is supplied with a fluid different from that in the main reservoir, and as such fluid is in a separate reservoir I am able to employ a fluid, such as alcohol which will give out little or no smoke when burned on the wick. Furthermore my arrangement of the auxiliary reservoir within the main reservoir not only protects such auxiliary reservoir from injury but is advantageous in many other respects.

The auxiliary wick tube G is encompassed by a tube I, applied to it by means of a screw as shown at a, in the drawings, such being arranged so that by revolving the tube I, on the wick tube G, the height or elevation of the tube I, may be adjusted with reference to the top of the wick; the object being to increase or diminish the extent of action of the flame on the wick as circumstances may require. Thus instead of either raising or lowering the wick within its support tube in order either to increase lor diminish the height of the flame, such wick is kept stationary and the tube, I, raised or lowered as may be desirable-such tube being provided with a milled flange by which it may be easily rotated.

Surrounding the upper part of the auxiliary burner chamber is a flame guard K which rests and turns freely around on a shoulder c, 0, is provided with a series of small discharging air holes, d, d, cl, and also with a larger opening, e, made through its side and about on a level with the top of the auxiliary wick tube; the smaller opening being arranged in the upper part of the guard. This guard is not intended to interrupt or regulate the passage into the burner chamberof air necessary to support the llame on the wick but its object is to guard the flame against lateral currents of air, which it does whenever the guard is turned around so that its larger opening may be covered by one of the main wick tubes. The object of the larger opening is to enable a person to gain access to the wick in order to enflame the same.

I am aware of the invention patented by Horatio Fairbanks in June 1857, wherein a closing slide is arranged to rotate concentrically on the body of the burner and constructed so as to be capable of either entirely or partially closing the auxiliary wick chamber in order to regulate the amount of air admitted into the same and to confine the heat therein. The flame guard, K, differs from this, as it operates in no respect as 'a register or valve to diminish the amount of air necessary to support the flame of the auxiliary wick, but simply surrounds the said flame so as not only to prevent it from being affected by lateral currents of air tending to extinguish it, but to cause its heat to be distributed uniformly against the under surface of the vaporizer, this latter being accomplished by the series of holes in the upper part of the guard. Another air guard L, is made to encircle the Vaporizing chamber or vessel, and to rise above the same as shown in the drawings. This latter guard serves to prevent currents of hot air that may rush out of the discharging orifices of the flame guard K, from impinging against the burner F, so as to cause the flame thereof to flicker. Another guard M,

of the form shown in Figs. 2 and 5, (the latter being a top view of it) is arranged on the burner, F, and just below its top or exit opening thereof, and so as to extend underneath the flame and aid in preventing any upward currents of air from causing the flame to flicker.

N represents a supporter for a glass globe or shade to be applied to the lamp.

I do not claim applying a separate wick tube and wick to a main reservoir and its wick tube such being for the purpose of Vaporizing the fluid in the wick of the main reservoir by flame generated by combustion of any of the fluid contents of the said reservoir but Vhat I do claim in a hydrocarbon Vapor lamp, is- Y l. Combining an auxiliary and separate reservoir H, with the main reservoir A, and its main and auxiliary wick tubes D, D, G, so that while a fluid rich in carbon may be used in the main reservoir, alcohol or a Huid having less or very little carbon may be used in the auxiliary reservoir and be burned on the wick thereof extending through the auxiliary wick tube.

2. I also claim arranging the separate auxiliary reservoir H, of the auxiliary Wick within and separate from the main reservoir as specified.

I do not claim applying to the auxiliary burner chamber, a closing slide to rotate on the wick tubes D, D, and regulate the amount of air to be admitted into the said chamber for the ordinary purposes of the flame on the wick, but

Vhat I do claim is- 8. The arrangement and application of a llame guard K, constructed substantially as described, to the auxiliary wick tube chamber so as to extend and slide around the Aupper part of the said chamber, have such chamber open beneath it and operate to spread the heatuniformly against the under side of the vaporizing vessel E, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature.

ROBERT R. CROSBY.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

